Convertible furniture device, &amp;c.



J. GOCH AND L BLACKOWfAK. CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE DEViCE, &c.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-.23, 1920. 1,363,247.

Q g W J. GOCH AND J, BLACKOWIAK.

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE DEVICE, 64c.

APPCICATION FILED SEPT- 23, 1920.

rA'rEN'r OFFICE.

JOZEPH GOCH AND JOHN BLACKOWIAK, O1 CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE DEVICE, 8w.

Application filed September 23. 1920.

To all 10 7mm it may concern Be-it known that we, JozErH Goon, hav ingmade application for naturalization as a citizen of the United States,formerly a subject of the Czar of Russia, and JOHN BLAonowiAK, a citizenof the United States, both residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Convertible Furniture Devices, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to so-called com bination or convertible deviceswith respect to chairs, tables, cradles, cribs and carrying devices ofthe suitcase type. Its principal objects are to provide in a relativelysmall and compact arrangement these various utilities. That is to say,in one arrangement of the parts the device constitutes substantially asuitcase in which articles may be stored away or transported from placeto place, while in other arrangements respectively the other utilitiesare obtained. An important use of the device is by persons having babiesor small children who may de sire to travel and carry along some of thenecessary or desirable equipment for the proper care of the child. Insuch case, the childs clothing, and the sheets, pillow and blankets forsleeping purposes, together with a large variety of other necessaryarticles may be placed within the device when arranged as a suitcase andeasily transported. When the device is made of about the proportion ofan ordinary-size suitcase, the various adjustments shown in theaccompanying drawings severally constitute the device a chair, cradle,table or crib appropriate for a child, and thus the device is peculiarlyvaluable in situations where otherwise these instrumentalities might bewanting at the time when and place where needed, either in traveling orat the destination.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure l is a perspective showing the device in suitcase form and inclosed position; Fig. 2 shows the same device open; Fig. 3 shows thedevice arranged as a relatively low table in the full line position, andarranged as a chair in the dotted line position; Fig. 4 shows the devicearranged as a higher table in the full line position, and as a cradle orcrib with the fabric in its dotted line position; and Fig. 5 is asectional detail showing one of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 412,303.

readily applicable and removable holding pins or studs about to beforced into holding position.

The device illustrated comprises a pair of substantially U-shapedinterfitting frame members A and B consisting respectively of themembers 10, 11 and 12, and 13, 14 and .15, the frame B being adapted tointerfit within the frame A, as well shown in Fig. 1, these frames beingpivotally connected together by the bolt 16, the sides of the framesbeing maintained in spaced-apart relation by the bar 17 which is showncylindrical, but which may be of other shapes. The ends of the frame Aproject beyond the ends of the frame B and beyond the roller 17 to formfeet on which the suitcase device may rest, as shown in Fig. 1. Theseframe parts will ordinarily be made of sheet metal.

The flexible covering 20 of leather or fabric is permanently secured atone end-to the cross-piece 21, which is part of the frame B, as byrivets 22, the leather or fabric passing over the roller 17 and beingwound upon the roller 23, which has pintles 19 bearing in the framemembers 10 and 12 of the frame A. The roller 23 has aratchet 24;, and apawl 25 carried by the frame there and engaging the ratchet, and holdsthe leather or fabric covering with its desired degree of tautness forparticular uses of the device. The covering 20 is further secured to theframe by a plurality of tabs 26 at each side portion thereof, each tabcarrying a snap button device 27, which may be of wellknownconstruction, the frame parts adjacent to the tabs respectively havinginterlocking studs into which the snap buttons project. Such snapfasteners are well known and require no detailed description. The cover20 may thereby be readily removed at the sides for particularadjustments or uses of the device as a whole.

Further features of construction will be described in connection withsome particular uses of the device.

In Fig. 3 the device is shown in position for use'as a table or bench.The frame parts A and B are held in substantially horizontal position bystruts 30 and 31, secured at 32 and 33 to the frame parts and at 34 and35 to the leg members 40 and 4:1. The cross member 43, pivotally mountedon the studs 34 and 35, maintains the legs against spreading or comingtogether. It is to be understood that corresponding parts are at the op-Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

posite side of the device in Fig. 3, so that a stable support isafforded for the frame members A and B in their horizontal positionshown.

Fig. 3 also shows the adaptation of the device for use as a chair, inwhich case the stud 33 is removed, the frame part B is swung upward intothe dotted line position shown, and the stud 33 is inserted in the hole45 in the side member of the frame B. The cover'20 may be drawn taut orloosened for the purpose of either a table or a chair in the manneralready described.

In Fig. l, we have shown the arrangement of the parts to constitute thedevice a relatively high table or crib for a child or as a rockingcradle. For this purpose we provide a pair of springs i8-A8 at each sideof the device, the springs having ends formed to interhook with theholes 45-46 and 4l950. When the device is to be used as a higher tablethe cover or fabric 20 is drawn taut as illustrated, the frames A andBbeing held against coming closer together than as illustrated by theimpingement of one side frame member against the end of the inturnedflange of the other at 56. These ends are well seen in Fig. 2. Accordingto this arrangement, the upper portion of the table is free to rockunder the alternate tension of the springs -L84;8. The springs, being ofequal strength, tend to maintain the fabric 20 in its horizontalposition, and for some uses the table will thus be sutficiently stableas to the upper part thereof. If, however, it be desired to makeaperfectly stable top portion of the device, meaning one which will notrock on the" bolt 16,. the struts 30 and 31 should be connected to theside members of the frames A- and B, asshown by the dotted line positionof one of these struts in Fig. 3.

When the device shown by Fig. 4 is to be used as a crib the struts 30and 81 will be connected rigidly to the side members respectively of theframes A and B, as illustrated by the dotted line position of one ofthese struts in Fig. 3, and the fabric 20 will be allowed to sag, asshown by the dotted line in- Fig. 4. Then, if the device be de sired foruse as a rocking cradle, the struts 30 and 31 will be released from theholes 45 and 49, respectively, and the springs 4:8 48' substituted, andthereupon the upper portion of the device may be rocked on theshaft 16.

In order that the several parts may be connected and disconnectedreadily, we pro vi de' a form of stud shown in Fig. 5, having ahead anda pair of spring leaves 61 formed with an enlarged end- 62 of greaterdiameter than the hole, as 45, through which the enlarged end is adaptedto be forced, the parts being thus held together with sufficientrigidity for the purpose. The same form of fastener is to be understoodas being used at all of the places where the struts or ties areconnected to the frame parts and legs of the device.

We claim:

1. In a convertible device of the character described the combination ofa pair of substantially U-shaped frame members having material width,the frame members being hinged together at their free ends respectively,and adapted to fold together, a flexible covering secured to one framevmember so as to constitute an outer side of a suitcase-like device, theother frame member having means for holding said flexible coveringadjustably, and means substantially between the pivotal connectionsofthe frame members for holding the covering substantially U-shaped whenthe device is in closed position.

2. The device of claim 1 with the addition thereto of a pair of legmembers at each side of the device, each leg member being pivotallymounted on the pivotal connection of the frame members, means forholding the leg" members rigidly with their ends spaced apart to providea stable support for the device, and means associated with some of theleg members for holding the frame members in various positions relativeto the leg members.

3. Thedevice of claim 1 with the addition thereto of a pair of legmembers pivotally mounted at each side of the device on the pivotalconnection for the frame members, means for holding the leg members withtheir ends spaced apart to form a" stable support for the frame members,means for holding the frame members with their normally upper portionsspaced apart, and spring means operatively associated with the legmembers and with the frame members for holding the frame members in asubstantially balanced position, said spring means being adapted toprovide for rocking movement of the frame members as a unit on theirpivotal connections against the tension of the spring means.

4. The device of claim 3 in which the spring means consist of a pair ofcoiled tension springs at each side of the device, each spring beingconnected to a frame member at a place spaced from the pivoted connec--tion thereof, the other end of each spring being connected to a legmember.

JOZEPH GOCH.

JOHN BLACKOWIAK.

